Abstract

Open Science (OS) is said to address pressing societal and environmental challenges (including SDGs), as emphasized by UNESCO in 2021 [1]. The “PathOS” project identifies and analyses the academic, societal and economic impacts of OS. Over the past two years, it has generated insights and tools to better understand whether and how OS creates impact, providing valuable resources for researchers, research managers, and policymakers.

PathOS developed a comprehensive framework and toolbox to identify the pathways from Open Science practices to impact [2]. This effort included a large-scale literature review [3, 4, 5], the creation of the Open Science Indicator Handbook that outlines tools to measure Open Science practises and impacts [6], and a Cost-Benefit Analysis framework for OS [7]. Lastly, six case studies add qualitative and quantitative insights and act as testbeds [8].

The literature review highlighted concentrations of academic and societal impacts of OS. Citation rates and data reuse seem to benefit from OS. Citizen Science can improve data availability, governance and public policy. However, there are gaps elsewhere (e.g., open data, open software) and evidence of the economic impacts is rarely documented. The uptake of OS is better documented than its impact.

To bridge these gaps, PathOS consolidates insights into positive and negative effects of OS making. Through active engagement and capacity-building efforts and collaborating with organisations such as UNESCO, CoARA and EOSC, PathOS aims to enhance global awareness and to improve the mechanisms for better monitoring of OS impacts.

PathOS results are relevant to various stakeholders (including researchers, RPOs, funders, research managers, policymakers) for the design, monitoring, evaluation of OS projects and programmes. They support the adoption of OS and ensures that research managers and other stakeholders are equipped with evidence, tools and frameworks to evaluate and therefore increase its impact.

The poster will provide insights into cutting-edge methodologies for impact measurement, indicator development, and challenges of evaluating OS practices.

[1] https://doi.org/10.54677/MNMH8546
[2] https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.11108567
[3] http://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.240286
[4] http://doi.org/10.31235/osf.io/ptjub
[5] https://www.zotero.org/groups/5331667/the_academic_societal_and_economic_impacts_of_open_science/library
[6] https://handbook.pathos-project.eu/
[7] https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10277642
[8] https://doi.org/10.31235/osf.io/4bw9e